Explained: Monkeypox in India, precautions and prevention
India Today
India reported four monekypox cases with the latest being a 31-year-old Delhi man with no foreign travel history. Three other cases of monkeypox have been detected in Kerala.
The WHO has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. A case of monkeypox has now been reported in Delhi that does not have an international travel history. Is it a community spread? How can you protect yourself from this infectious disease?
Monkeypox is not a novel disease. It was first isolated in the late 1950s from a colony of monkeys. The virus is in the same genus as variola (causative agent of smallpox) and vaccinia viruses (the virus used in one of the available smallpox vaccines). It gets its name from a 1958 outbreak among a group of laboratory test monkeys inside a research facility in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“There is a significant role of animals in the spread of monkeypox. Man and monkeys are both accidental hosts and wild rodents are usually seen harbouring this virus. The strain isolated from West Africa appears to be less virulent than the one from Central Africa. It’s clad 2 i.e. West African strain is spreading all over world,” said Dr Dhiren Gupta, Intensivist and Senior Consultant at Sir Gangaram Hospital.
Prolonged contact with animals (monkeys, squirrels, wild rodents) or animal meat (wild animals) or close contact with infected persons. Primarily, it doesn’t spread via air but if someone is in close contact with the infected patient (> 3 hours, within 2 meters) can get infection via large droplets. Secondary attack rates are around 7 percent. It’s less infective than smallpox and chickenpox.
Men- Most cases of monkeypox have been seen in men
LGBTQ - Men who have sex with men and the LGBTQ community have been flagged by the WHO
Healthcare workers- Prolonged and close exposure to treating the patient could lead to spread through droplets to skin contact as well.